Thread: Classic Rangie: Is it the ideal poor man's car?

I know you have had 8 pages of opinions, but everyone has one so here goes

In my opinion you should be looking for the RRC 3.9V8 with carbs, can't remember exactly which year that was mid 80's? someone will put me right.

Anyhow, that has the heater & air and none of the annoying computery bits or seat motors etc to go wrong, especially if you install electronic points ($200 new).
With a RRC of that year, if you wait and buy parts as you see them cheap you can buy any part for the vehicle for under $100, from doors, to gearbox, excluding the engine, and maybe the PS box.

Now you could go for the 3.5 which is OK, (I have a 3.5 & 3.9) and its superb off road, really bullet proof, low range has lots of torque, anyhow, yes the 3.5 is fine but for everyday use the 3.9 is better, especially if you ever plan on towing anything, ever. The 3.5 will tow a lot but not very quickly and less quickly up hill. Don't be expecting to be sitting on 110kph all day in a 3.5 it won't do it. The 3.9 will, without breaking a sweat.

The real downside to either the 3.5 or the 3.9 is the fuel cost, by any standards its pretty expensive. If you go the petrol go for dual fuel you will probably find one with LPG fitted for little if anything more than one that does not. I can't comment on the diesel as I have never driven one, apparently they are fairly reliable but fairly slow.
I'm not sure if it holds true with landys but I know that a study was done by the RAC petrol v diesel and total cost of ownership, and due to the higher cost of parts ........blah blah cut to the chase...... it turns out total cost of ownership petrol v diesel come so close its not really with worrying about.
Of course the diesel might be better if you cover a lot of remote areas where you cant fill up as often but with pertol and LPG you'd probably work out about the same. I like the petrol because if you need a little extra power its there instantly.
I guess you are either a petrol fan or a diesel fan.

So anyway, for a nice drivable car I love my 94'3.9 RRC but the cost of parts can be a killer eg $700 radiator I do ALL the maintenance myself so save a bit there, If I didn't do all the work myself and if it was straight petrol I doubt I could afford to run it, it is not a cheap car to run.
The 3.5 however, I paid about $2,500 for it, over the next year or two spent around the same bringing the mechanicals up to scratch, other than general servicing, (oil, filters etc) I have't really spent anything on the old girl in the following maybe 4 years. It is without doubt the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. The only times it has stopped with either due to damage off roading, it overheated the first year I got it, (radiator rodded through fixed it) and this year the alternator died.
So excluding general oil's etc its probaly cost me about 5k for 7+ years motoring including the vehicle. Can't be bad

I hope this helps you a little.
Best advice I guess is buy what you like to drive then buy another scrapper, strip it and keep all the parts. In general 3.5 & 3.9 you need to pay attention to the temperature, the 3.5 will probably need overhauled carby's, after maybe 30 years it probably deserves it

Good luck mate!

In my opinion you should be looking for the RRC 3.9V8 with carbs, can't remember exactly which year that was mid 80's? someone will put me right.

Geez mate , they are like hens teeth. Even rarer in fact. I have been looking for one of those elusive genuine factory ones for 10 years.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Geez mate , they are like hens teeth. Even rarer in fact. I have been looking for one of those elusive genuine factory ones for 10 years.
Regards Philip A

hmmmm should I tell you a mte just bought one for $700 licensed on LPG?
Maybe not

Is it genuine, or did someone convert it? I only ask as I could see somebody getting sick of EFI troubles and putting some carbies on. I also have a 3.9 carburetted motor here, but it started as a 3.5 and then a company converted it to a 3.9 block long ago.

3.9 was introduced in 89 model year and ALL were 14CUX fuel injected and all had a Borg Warner transfer case.

Any 3.9 advertised with a prior year production is a transplant for a dead 3.5. ( which is simple as all size RV8 are backwards compatable with later 3.9 4.0 and 4.6 needing a couple of fiddles)
Regards Philip A

Well here goes mine

I live in tassie with a RRC with a 3.5inj V8 and ZF auto and VC T/C

The biggest problem I have found is the auto is not suited to the rolling hill in tassie so I would get a manual r380 (JC should be able to sort that out)

So I reckon the perfect RRC is 88-89 V8 3.5L running injection from the 3.9L and R380 with LT 230 box and 255/85 tyres

Saying that I wont be changing my auto anytime soon as touch wood its been fine and seems to have been loved in its previous life (now Ive said that look out) but the auto is better incase the wife needs to drive it

There is an early on in launnie for sale for 2400 in pretty good nic with a manual

Adam

Originally Posted by agrojnr

Well here goes mine

I live in tassie with a RRC with a 3.5inj V8 and ZF auto and VC T/C

The biggest problem I have found is the auto is not suited to the rolling hill in tassie so I would get a manual r380 (JC should be able to sort that out)

So I reckon the perfect RRC is 88-89 V8 3.5L running injection from the 3.9L and R380 with LT 230 box and 255/85 tyres

Saying that I wont be changing my auto anytime soon as touch wood its been fine and seems to have been loved in its previous life (now Ive said that look out) but the auto is better incase the wife needs to drive it

There is an early on in launnie for sale for 2400 in pretty good nic with a manual

Adam

I've just gone back to a manual (85 3.5 carby with the early LT77 5 speed) but an auto is my only option if I lived in the 'burbs as changing gears all the time in peak hour would give me the absolute ****s Out here they're no traffic lights let alone traffic so having an auto is irrelevant and I get decent off-road gearing.

All model rangie classics have there good and bad points, it's really personal preference at the end of the day. I liked my 89 Rangie as well but sold it to buy the 85 I have now as I wanted to go back to a manual again.

Trav

Originally Posted by Davo

Is it genuine, or did someone convert it? I only ask as I could see somebody getting sick of EFI troubles and putting some carbies on. I also have a 3.9 carburetted motor here, but it started as a 3.5 and then a company converted it to a 3.9 block long ago.

I was mistaken it is carbs but it has the 3.5 I thought it was the 3.9, oops